Light signaling device for floors

ABSTRACT

A lit-up marking device for floors includes a section with a generally U-shaped layout defined by a flat base and by two end wings. Intermediate inlets for the pressure-fitting of a translucent protector are at the flat base. Lighting is positioned on a longitudinal support housed in the section and a translucent protector has a central portion and two side feet forming an arrow-head for fitting into the section. The wings of the section have, on their interior end, respective concavities which face concavities formed on the exterior in the initial zone of the side legs of the translucent protector. The cavities form one cavity with an opening for inserting optional elements for fixing the translucent protector onto the section.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

As indicated by its title, this invention relates to a lighted floorsignalling device of the type composed of a section intended to bemounted on the area of the floor to be signalled, lighting means mountedlongitudinally inside the section and a translucid guard placed on topof the section which allows the light given off by the internal lightingmeans to shine through.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

As background to the invention, Utility Models 980269 and 9803048 bothpertain to the applicant of this invention.

Utility Model 9802069, which refers to a lighted section, is composed ofan L-shaped section intended to be positioned on the vertex of a step,stair or any other uneven surface. This section contains a longitudinalcavity for housing the lighting means used to emit the light needed tosignal the uneven surface.

Utility Model 9803048 refers to certain improvements to the lightedfloor signalling device for steps, stairs and the like which consists ofan L-shaped section intended to be mounted on the inside edge of a stepwith an interior cavity for running wires.

In this case, as in the preceding case, on the outside of the sectionthere is a longitudinal box which houses the lighting means, protectedby a translucent cover.

The devices described in both models are intended to signal unevensurfaces such as steps, stairs, etc., but cannot be used as lightedsignalling on flat floor surfaces due precisely to the L-shapedconfiguration of the sections making up the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The lighted floor signalling device to which this invention referspresents certain constructive particularities designed to permit thesignalling of flat floor surfaces such as both sides of a passageway,and may be built into the floor, protruding therefrom and holding downthe ends of floor coverings such as rugs, carpeting, etc. with sidewedges.

In accordance with the invention, the lighted floor signalling deviceconsists of a U-shaped section composed of a flat base which issupported by and fastened to the floor area to be signalled and twowings on either end equipped with means to fasten the translucid guardby pressure.

On the inside of the lighted floor signalling device there are two ribswhich start from the base and form a prismatic cavity for positioningthe lighting means and their supports inside.

Between the inside lips and the side wings, the section is equipped withlongitudinal cavities for running electrical, sound, telephone or anyother type of wiring.

Inside the wings, on either end, there are rabbets which are used forthe pressurised attachment of the translucent guard and on either endtwo open concavities toward the central part of the section.

The translucent guard intended to be mounted on the section has aslightly convex central portion and two side legs in an arrowhead shapeintended to be housed in the intermediate rabbets inside the wings ofthe section.

The inside surface of the central portion of the guard is serrated so asto diffuse the light given off by the lighting means housed inside thesection.

The outside initial portion of the side legs of the guard is equippedwith concavities which are positioned opposite the concavities locatedon the ends of the section wings to form open cavities on the upper partfor the introduction of optional fastening means.

The fastening means of the guard and the section in the mounted positionmay be composed either of elastic joints analogous, in section to thepreviously mentioned cavity or of the end portions of side wedges.

Elastic joints are used when the device is built into the floor or whenused to offset a slight unevenness such as the end of a floor coveringlike parquet which is considerably similar in height.

The wedges mentioned above are used when it is necessary to finish offthe side of the device, forming ramps which extend from the top of thesection to the floor or to the level of a floor covering which is lowerin height.

The wedges are made of a non-metallic material, preferably of PVC orrubber, and are serrated on top to prevent slipping.

The wedges are triangular in shape with a lower rabbet for runningoptical fibre cable or other types of wiring.

According to the invention, the lighting devices housed inside thesection may be composed of LEDS, small incandescent light bulbs, oroptical monofibres or multifibres. If the lighting means are made ofoptical fibre, they will be composed of sections the ends of which areplaced opposite the LEDS or small light bulbs housed intermediatesplicing tubes.

The splicing tubes are composed of an opaque material and equipped withholes facing the LEDS or small light bulbs to obtain visible lightedpoints on the splicing areas.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement this description, and in order that the features of theinvention may be better understood, this specification is accompanied bya set of drawings. Their purpose is illustrative and not restrictive,and they show the following:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the section showing its differentcomponents, with the exception of the elastic joints which can be usedto fasten the translucent guard to the section.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the mounted device, using the elasticjoints as fastening devices to connect the translucent guard to thesection.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the same device as shown in the precedingfigure, built into the floor.

FIG. 4 shows the mounted device using an elastic joint and the endportion of one of the wedges as fastening devices. In this figure, thesignalling device is used to offset an uneven surface.

FIG. 5 is a section analogous to the preceding ones in which the endportions of a wedge which forms a ramp to the floor and of another wedgewhich offsets the unevenness to the carpeting type floor covering areused as fastening devices to fasten the guard to the section.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the lighted floor signalling device inwhich the end portions of two equal wedges which offset the unevennessof the floor are used as fastening devices. This figure shows opticalfibre cable running through the rabbet of one of the wedges, one of thembeing connected to a row-numbering device.

FIG. 7 illustrates the lighting device composed of sections of opticalfibre cable, the ends of which are facing LEDS housed inside thesplicing tubes.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As may be observed in the figures referred to, the lighted floorsignalling device is composed of a section (1) with a flat base (11)intended to be supported by and fastened to the floor using screws 12),two end wings (13) and some internal ribs (14).

The wings of the section are equipped on the inside with rabbetsintermediate (15) and concavities on the ends (16).

In between the internal ribs (14) and the wings (13) of the sectionthere are longitudinal cavities for running cables (2).

The invention includes lighting devices (3) which are positioned betweenthe ribs (14) and supported on a longitudinal support (4). The lightingdevices may be LEDS, small incandescent light bulbs or successivesections (31) of optical monofibres or multifibres. In this case, theends of the optical fibre sections (31) will face the LEDS or lightbulbs (32) placed inside a splicing tube (33) as shown in detail in FIG.7.

The tube (33) has holes (34) arranged radially facing the LEDS or lightbulbs (32) to create visible points of light on the splicing area.

The section (1) is closed on top using a translucent guard (5) composedof a central convex portion (51) and two side legs (52) in an arrowheadshape which retain the guard in the fastened position when facing therabbets (15) of the wings of the section.

The inside of the central portion (51) of the guard is serrated (53) toenable it to diff-use the light.

The legs (52) of the guard are equipped with concavities (54) positionedin an outward manner and intended to face the concavities (16) of thesection (1) thereby forming cavities (6) which are open on the top forthe placement of optional fastening devices.

The optional fastening devices may be elastic joints (7) or the endportions (81) of the wedges (8).

The elastic joints (7) are mounted on the cavities (6) when the side ofthe device is to be affixed to a slight unevenness in the floor or whenbeing built in or affixed to the end of a rigid floor covering such asparquet.

The end portions (81) of the.wedges are used as fastening devices whenit is necessary to offset the unevenness between the upper end of thedevice itself and the floor or between said upper end and a floorcovering which is lower than the device such as carpeting, asillustrated in FIG. 5.

The wedges (8) are made of a non-metallic material, preferably PVC orrubber and are triangular in shape with a lower rabbet (82) designed toconceal the passage of any type of wiring or optical fibre cables (9)particularly when an element (10) which must be illuminated or poweredelectrically is positioned near the device in question, as in the caseof the row-numbering device illustrated in FIG. 6.

The upper sides (83) of the wedges are composed of inclined serratedsurfaces (84) to prevent slipping.

As seen in FIG. 5, the free ends of the wedges (8) may be finished offat the same height as the lower end to make contact with the floor orhigher up when used to hold the carpeting in place.

It is not considered necessary to extend this description any further inorder for an expert on the subject to understand the scope of theinvention and the advantages derived therefrom.

The terms in which this specification has been written should always beunderstood in the widest sense and in no way restrictive.

The materials, shapes, sizes and arrangement of the components aresubject to change, provided that such changes do not alter the essentialfeatures of the invention as claimed below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lit-up marking device for floors, comprising: asection (1) with a generally U-shaped layout, defined by a flat base(11) and by two end wings (13) which include on its interior sides someintermediate inlets (15) for the pressure-fitting of a translucentprotector (5), lighting means (3) to be positioned on a longitudinalsupport (4) housed in the section (1) and a translucent protector (5)that has a central portion (51) and two side feet (52), each of the sidefeet forming an arrow-head, for fitting into the section (1); whereinthe wings (13) of the section (1) have on the interior side endrespective concavities (16) which are positioned facing some concavities(54) formed to the exterior in an initial zone of the side feet (52) ofthe translucent protector, with each set of opposed concavities (54 and16) forming one cavity (6) for inserting optional fastening devices forfixing the translucent protector (5) onto the section (1).
 2. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein an inside surface of the central portion(51) of the translucent protector (5) comprises a serrated (53) lightdiffuser.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the optionalfastening devices for fixing the translucent protector (5) to thesection (1) comprise elastic joints (7).
 4. A device according to claim1, wherein the optional fastening devices for fastening the translucentprotector (5) to the section (1) are end portions (81) of wedges (8). 5.A device according to claim 4, wherein the wedges (8) are made of anon-metallic material.
 6. A device according to claim 4, wherein thewedges (8) are made of one of PVC and rubber.
 7. A device according toclaim 4, wherein the wedges (8) are triangular in shape with upper sides(83) and equipped with a lower rabbet (82) for running wires or opticalfiber cables (9).
 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the uppersides (83) of the wedges (8) are equipped with respective inclinedsurfaces to offset unevenness between the top of the section (1) and thefloor or between the top of the section (1) and a floor covering.
 9. Adevice according to claim 7, wherein the upper sides (83) of the wedges(8) are serrated (84) to prevent slipping.
 10. A device according toclaim 1, wherein the lighting means (3) may be composed of groups (31)of optical monofibers of multifibers, the ends of which are facing LEDSor light bulbs (32) housed in splicing tubes (33).
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein the splicing tubes (33) are composed ofan opaque material and equipped with holes (34) facing the LEDS or smalllight bulbs (32) to create visible points of light.